1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to an aid for handicapped persons. More particularly the present invention relates to a device for raising a chair to make it easier for a handicapped person to exit the chair.
2. Background Art
It is often the case that chairs are too low for a handicapped person to easily exit from them. Some devices to remedy this situation use electric actuators to lift and tilt a chair for the elderly person to exit more easily. Other, more basic devices, simply raise a chair higher than it normally sits and require no power, electrical or otherwise. U.S. Patents issued to Anderson (U.S. Pat. No. 5,251,960), Monteiro, Jr. (U.S. Pat. No. 5,725,188), Christensen (U.S. Pat. No. 5,333,825), and Crochet (U.S. Pat. No. 3,952,983) all disclose structure for elevating a chair above a floor.
It is stated in the Anderson '960 patent, “the auxiliary booster frame provides an inexpensive and reliable way of raising the chair to make it easier for people to get into and out of the chair, and requires no moving parts or electrical connections.”
The Monteiro, Jr. '188 patent discloses a support pad with an upstanding elevation block having an elongated groove formed in its top surface. U-shaped legs of lawn chairs are received in the groove. Also provided are “blind holes” for supporting lawn chairs having vertical tubular legs.
None of the above patents discloses a chair raiser having removable pegs for accommodating chair legs and/or transverse cross members under the chair. Furthermore, there is no motivation or teaching in the prior art of a chair raiser having removable pegs for securing chair legs and allowing clearance for cross member supports which may be present in some chairs.
There is, therefore, a need for a simple, unpowered device for elevating a chair; the device having removable pegs for accommodating the chair's legs or cross members. There is a further need for such a device having sufficient pegs are provided to permit use with many chair makes and models.